March 30, 2010

Two weeks ago I went to a furniture consignment store that I found through Craig's List. There was slim pickings as far as the furniture went, but the accessories were terrific. I am able to see beyond the first impressions of a lot of things, and these mirrors were no different. I loved the shape and the character of this first mirror, but not the color. I am not a fan of gold. For some reason this mirror reminded me of Marie Antoinette, which is odd, because I have never met her.

I knew exactly where this mirror would go once I painted it. I have been working on my dining room lately, and it is slow going. I recently replaced my window treatment. I had valances above the sliding glass doors, but I really wanted something a little dressier.

Here is a before picture sans valances. I took them down and was too lazy to put them back up to take a picture. Look at that clutter. Eeeeesh! And those bar stools. The previous owners left them here. What can I say, they were free. And don't get me started on that chandelier. It screams tacky! A few times a week I will actually stop what I am doing to look at it and say out loud to no one in particular, "I hate that hideous thing." It will be replaced soon.

I found these drapes on clearance at Pier One imports. The good news is they were $7.49 a piece. The bad news is there was only one in the store. I bought the one knowing that I would find another one, and I did. I loved the way they immediately transformed the room into a warm, inviting space. Ick. There's that chandelier again.

So back to the mirror. Here it is in its original gold color. I love the way the fleur de lis in the drapes matches the mirror.

Here it is in its new form. A can of black Krylon spray paint and it's a new piece. I didn't go crazy with the paint, I rather like the way the gold patina comes through.

These are the other mirrors that I bought. I decided to go with the white paint on these babies. The glass is not able to be removed so I used electrical tape to cover the it.Again here, I liked the gold coming through. It gave the frame some character and an antique appearance. This picture frame I also painted white.

The finished product here in the bathroom off of the family room. I think I need something else on the right hand side of the picture, but this is good enough for now.

March 29, 2010

Saturday morning I woke up and I was sick. I had a sore throat, cough and a stuffy nose that was running. How is that possible? One nostril is clogged while the other pours buggers. I don't get it. It's one of life's mysteries, like why Paris Hilton is famous or why otherwise normal people put an empty gallon jug of milk back in the fridge.

Sunday I woke up at the crack of noon. Noon. I was wiped out, and my husband knew it which was why he did not disturb me. Bless him. My day consisted of sitting on the couch, lying on the couch, drinking tea with honey, more lying on the couch, making people bring me more blankets, (not strangers, my family- strangers bringing me blankets would be weird) and then sleeping on the couch.

I did manage to stay up to watch Celebrity Apprentice because, Hello?- Curtis Stone. The accent! The hair! The cooking! OK, in all fairness, he does not cook on the Apprentice, but he does cook in real life. Kevin laughs when the camera just shows Curtis's face and he does not talk, because it really is the accent that gets me. He says, you would leave me for Curtis Stone, wouldn't you. No, I would not. Curtis is nice to look at and listen to but let's face it, you can't be with someone who looks like you won him in a raffle.

And! Cyndi Lauper! How much do I love her? Ever since I was a young girl of 13 and first heard her hit song Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, I was smitten. I think that she is a normal person, not someone whose celebrity has gone to her head. I have a feeling that if I called her up and asked her out to lunch, she would go with me. Or file a restraining order, and that would be OK, too.

One of my most favorite Cyndi moments is the Money Changes Everything video. I love that she hugs the crazy fan that runs up on the stage. I love her kooky dancing. But most of all I love the way she hops into that garbage can and ascends over the crowd all while holding the Moneeeeeeeeeeeeeey note.

She's fabulous, yes?

That video screams 80's! If you are a child of the 80's you will appreciate these You Might be a Child of the 80's if's:Your bangs are teased perfectly to 7 inches above the rest of your hair.Have multi-colored earrings that touch your shoulders.People are constantly gagging you with spoons.Still think banana clips were a godsend.You remember when Pee-Wee wasn't a pervert.You're still hoping for a New Kids on the Block reunion tour.

March 26, 2010

I know! It's Friday already and I have only posted once, on Monday. In all fairness this was a crazy week. The health care monstrosity was passed, sadly, and I have been reeling from the shock. I considered not participating in Fashion Friday at all, but hey, we might as well shop for cute clothes and buy them while we can because pretty soon we will be spending all of our extra money paying for Juan and Carlos, the neighbors landscapers, to get MRI's and band-aids.

This week I want to talk about fashion trends that I am not fond of, and because of this I think that you should not wear them either. First, leggings are not pants. End.Of.Story. Please, please, I beg of you do not embrace this trend. Unless you have legs like toothpicks it is not attractive, and even then it is questionable at best because there is too much that can go wrong.

I give you exhibit A:

See? I am trying to save you from the snickering, pointing and staring that donning these pants posers will bring you.

And this? I...I...am at a loss.Ladies, we deserve better than this! If you ever see a man attempting to wear tights as legitimate pants you have my permission to hit him with your purse. I will bail you out of jail and be your character witness.

Next is the romper. You never want to wear a piece of clothing that, when googled, gives you the options: Romper for women or romper for infants. Just sayin'

We are moms, and what do moms do? They pick up their children. You pick up your child in this strapless number and you are bringing more to the playgroup than juice boxes. You are bringing a peep show and a whole lot of questions.

This one is not as bad, but seriously, this woman weighs 58 pounds and her legs look wide. What does that say for those of us who really are wide. Some fashions are made only to mock us, like 5 inch stilettos, and jersey knit jumpsuits.Stay tuned for next week when I show you my thrift store finds that look anything but thrifty.

March 22, 2010

I don't like people who act like the boss of me, unless of course, you are my boss in which case you can act like the boss because you are paying me. The government is trying to be the boss of me and I don't like it one bit. Especially because they don't pay me, I pay them. A lot.

************The boys have a friend over. I agreed to take him home so his mom did not have to go out, but then it started raining and I did not want to go out. I was thinking that we need an underground system like they have at the bank. Instead of putting your money or your check into the tube, you could put a person into it and just WOOSH! shoot them to their pre-selected destination. Then no one has to go out in the rain.

************A certain time of the month makes me crave sugar, and today it was bad. My husband braved the rain and fetched me some of my favorite jelly beans. I have a jelly bean eating system. I know, issues. I eat the pink ones with the white ones. One pink, one white. Then the purples, two at a time. Always two at a time or the system is broken and the world falls off its axis. Then the reds. I don't like the green or yellow, and I save the black ones for when I am desperate.

************I am still upset about Sandra Bullock. Part of me wants those two kids to work it out, and another part of me wants to see her throw knives at him while he spins on a wheel.

************Spring is here, and we have bloomage in the backyard.

************I added the google ads to my page and so far I have made a whopping .02. I think that is hilarious. It's just my two cents.

March 19, 2010

My husband has been at work all week. He left on Sunday morning and we have not seen hide nor hair of him since. I know that he has been here because of the tell tale laundry pile next to our bed. We are going on day 6 of full-time mommy and mommy is staring to lose it. I decided that a little retail therapy was in order so the boys and I headed to Target. I lure them there with the promise of Icee drinks. They fall for it every time. I bought a few things and looked at some other lovely items.

First I want to talk about "skinny jeans." Did you know that you do not have to be skinny to wear them? Shocking, I know! I mentioned once before that my legs are stumpy. I am practically a hobbit. But. One day, at JCPenney, I tried on a pair of skinny jeans. To my complete and utter surprise I not only looked cute, I looked good. Bear in mind that finding a fabulous fitting pair of jeans does not always happen for me. Most jean shopping excursions end with me in tears eating copious amounts of ice cream.I bought these shoes for $12.99. I have held off on the ballerina slipper trend because I have bunions, and the shoe cuts into it. I did not want to type that out loud. The secret to the ballerina slipper, if you have gnarled feet like I do, is to purchase the next size or half size up. I wear a size 8 normally, so I bought the 8 1/2. I was feeling badly about my big feet until I remembered that Paris Hilton wears a size 11. That's not hott.

Pair the flats with your skinny jeans and you've got a look.

Target is carrying the most adorable brand of clothes now called Liberty of London. The tops are light and the colors are perfect for spring. You can dress them up or down, I love that.

If you are going for a more casual look, a plain white tee with a colorful scarf is perfect.One final word about the skinny jeans. I promise you that you will most likely feel fat in your skinny jeans, but trust me, you look good. My sister and I agree that when we see the look on other women we always love it. Embrace the skinny jean!

March 17, 2010

We all have one, the dreaded empty space in our home that confounds us. What to do with it? What to put in it? Can we just cut it off and start over. Unfortunately, no. I had an empty space in my master bedroom, and it bothered me for a while. Finally one day I decided I was just going to play with it and see what happened.

I began with the wall. Walls are easy. A few years ago my mother and I took the kids into the city to visit the Museum of Modern Art. Outside of the museum were street vendors. There was one in particular whose art I just had to have. My mother bought the painting for me as an early birthday present. (Or so she says, I just think that she loves me a lot.) I bought a frame at Michael's for $25 and there I had a lovely piece of artwork.I comb Craig's list daily for lovely and cheap finds. This chair, by far, is my best purchase thus far. I paid $20 for this professionally covered, in silk, fabric chair. The chair was not without its faults though. The seller disclosed to me everything that was wrong with it, but I was able to see beyond all of that. It does not have to be perfect to be usable. The back of the chair was separating from the chair frame. Since I knew that the back of the chair was not going to be seen it did not bother me.The other issue with the chair is a wine stain on one side. Count your blessings that cushions have two sides. All I had to do was a little flippity flip.I solved the back of the chair issue by tossing a crocheted throw that I bought at an antique store for, if I remember correctly $12, over the back, when I was a newlywed. (What a horribly constructed sentence, but you get the idea.)The lamp behind the chair was a hand me down from my sister, who bought it at a garage sale.So there you have it. A welcoming and inexpensively filled space. I love to sit in that chair and read, or just be still with a hot mug of coffee in my hands. Pulling together a space does not have to overwhelming. Set up the space and then look at it for a few days. You will either love it or hate it, and changing it is simple. I once read somewhere that your master bedroom should be a place that you love. Yes, I know it is just a room that you sleep in, but who wants to wake up everyday to a room where your first thought is, Ugh, this place again.

Get creative! And let me know if you do so I can come and take a peek.

P.S. If you are not reading Nester, you are not experiencing the internet to its fullest.

March 15, 2010

***EDIT: I don't know why my pictures are showing up so small and grainy looking. If you click on them they will get larger.

Saturday morning we went to the circus. When I say "went" I mean braved the elements by venturing out into the Terrible Rain Storm of March 2010, but more on that later. My sister and her brood joined us, which was awesome because I got to munch on her girls. Nom-nom.

We arrived early enough for the pre-show, but Joe wanted no part of going down onto the main floor. He shares my aversion to clowns. In fact, when we originally told him that we were taking him to the circus he began to cry and responded tearfully, "I can't go the circus because there are clowns there." We took him anyway. We are all about forcing our children to face their fears. We can pay for therapy later. (Oh, I kid. I kid!) For me it is not the clowns per se, but the balloons that clowns are usually carrying. Balloons = loathe.

Jeremy wanted this crazy hat. The fact that it was attached to a bag of cotton candy only sweetened the deal. I told him to show me 'jazz hands.' It looks more like he is showing 'that bus is going to hit me' hands. (He is standing right next to me and laughing so I know he approves this ad.)These gentleman were amazing! They were dancing. On stilts. I trip over nothing while barefoot.The Greatest Show on Earth begins!We all agreed that the tiger show was not that impressive, and it pains me to say that because I love the tigers. The tigers seemed bored, and the most exciting thing about the trainer was his pants. They were the tightest leather pants that I have ever seen. I found myself thinking about how he was able to get them on, and not about the tigers. Later on that night I told my husband that if he really wanted to give people a show he should not use the cage. That would be edge of your seat entertainment.

The high flying pirates. Oh, how we loved these people! Everything about this part of the show was perfection, from the costumes to the music, to the stunts! And, check me out! Catching the guy in mid air. Not literally, with my camera, I mean.The elephants. Hands down, my favorite circus animal. The kids thought it was hilarious that one of them went pee. I told them it would have been more hilarious if one of them had pooped because their poops are the size of basketballs. Excuse me, I am just channeling my inner 13 year old boy.I was thinking that if I were to ever join the circus, this is the job I would want. But then I remembered that being pushed on a playground swing makes me nauseous, so it look like I would have to settle for the less glamorous, but oh so important, elephant poop cleaner-upper.The last act of the circus. These performers were simply amazing! The costumes were pure perfection. Each time the performer jumped, the material would lift, almost like wings, giving the performer the appearance of being in flight. It was truly a sight to behold.A great time was had by all, and I tried not to keep track of how much money we spent on cheap light up plastic. Also, both boys said, when asked, that they would not like to join the circus and clown college is not the place from which they hoped to graduate, so we dodged that bullet.

We arrived back home to find that our power was out, and would remain out until 8:15 Sunday morning. We made the best of it until I needed coffee, and really, how long can you sit in the house in the dark with nothing to do? I announced that we were going to Target.

My husband asked, "How do you know that Target has power?"

"Because it is Target, they just will." I replied.

I was wrong. They did not have power. We had to drive three towns over to find a Dunkin' Donuts with power.

The best part of not having power is you have nothing to keep you awake. We all were in bed, and sleeping, by 10pm. We are wild and crazy, I know.

March 12, 2010

As I was blog hopping last week I found Big Mama. I was immediately drawn to her Fashion Friday posts. I love fashion! And, I love Fridays. The only bummer is that when a blogger writes about an awesome little sumthin'-sumthin' that they found on Etsy, it sells out quickly. I already e-mailed the seller to inquire as to when she would have more. I want that pin, and more importantly, I think that pin wants me.

As I was watching Project Runway last night I noticed commercials for Old Navy. Ninety percent of the time I am watching television, it is through my DVR as I loathe commercials. But I noticed the Old Navy one, because of the skirts, and stopped to take a look see. I absolutely love skirts. You can cover a multitude of sins under their billowy goodness. When I put on a skirt I instantly feel feminine and lovely. Today I am going to Old Navy to get one, or three, because at $15 they are quite a good buy. In a perfect world they would be $5. I want to pay five dollars for everything.Adorable, right? Now imagine it with a pale yellow tank or t-shirt, some kicky sandals, and funky accessories.

I can honestly say that I am not loving the spring trend of short skirts. I am not tall, my legs are akin to stumps and short skirts just do not work for me. My sister has legs up to her arm pits and can pull off a shorter skirt with no problem. But we don't wear super shorts skirts because we are not those kinds of girls.

This dress from Anthropologie. How do I love this dress? If this were the Randy Jackson school of fashion you would hear, "I got mad love for this dress, dawg."

And these shoes, again from Anthropologie. Neither of these items are five dollars. They are not even fifteen dollars. They are more dollars than I have, or would ever consider spending unless everyone in this house decides that living on ice chips and grass is a fine idea. But I can appreciate that they are lovely things.

***EDIT*** The Etsy seller sent me a message that she has a pin for me. I told her that I would give her a blog shout out. I love all of her items, they are beautiful and unique. Stop by her shop and give her some love. Embrace spring with something cute from Plain T's.

March 11, 2010

Some days are harder than others to get going. Today? Today I just can't get going. Things working against me today:

1. Lack of sleep. Husband on nights= insomnia. I can't help it. I am askeered of things that go bump in the night. Who will protect me? Certainly not our 8 pound dog.

2. The mild weather. My kids are buh-nan-uhs. B.A.N.A.N.A.S. If I had a nickel for everytime I yelled "FOCUS!" this morning, I could finally get that botox I have been wanting.

3. Facebook. Other people's lives are so much more interesting than mine.

4. Lady Ga-Ga. I can't get the "Bad Romance" song out of my head. Frankly, it is driving me crazy. How do you stop a song from running through your head? Replace it with another one? But which one? A 70's disco song?An 80's hair band ballad? A 90's angry gen-Xer theme song?

5. Brach's jelly beans. I want some and I have none. This is a disturbance in the force.

6. Dust bunnies. I can see them under my baseboards. They bother me, but not enough that I will actually get on my hands and knees and dust under there. I have better things to do, like watch clips of the Brady Bunch on You Tube.

7. Galore Park latin. Can someone else come and teach it today? Please? I can pay you, I have nickels.

March 10, 2010

The problem with wordless Wednesday is, well, it's wordless. I like to use words as it is how I communicate. I would use hieroglyphics, but I misplaced my chisel and I don't live in a cave. The only time I really don't like to talk is in the morning. I am not a morning person. I stay up way too late because it is the only time I can be alone and the only time during the course of the day that the house is silent. I use the wee hours of the night to be productive, and watch Project Runway.

Joe turned six last month. Since then he has taken every opportunity to remind us that he is six. "I can do it myself, I am six." he will say when we try to help him do something. When he is in the bathroom he will close the door and say, "Don't come in here. I am six now." I wonder why that rule does not apply when I am in the bathroom.

This picture was taken on his birthday. Thumbs up is a gesture that our family frequently employs. It is especially adorable when you are six, because six year old thumbs are scrumptious. The gift in that bag met with the six year old's approval and garnered a thumbs up. In that bag was a cap gun and caps. It is not fun unless it is loud and dangerous.

I like him being six, but I still miss him being 3. I often tell him that I am going to put him in the dryer to shrink him back to his little self. He laughs and says, "When I be a man, I am going to put you in the dryer." Then he takes my face in his hands and says, "My little mommy, I love you, my baby" and when that happens, I am at a loss for words.

March 8, 2010

This was my favorite moment from the Oscars. Mo'nique was being interviewed after she won the Oscar. She was so honest and real and I found it refreshing.

Cnn reporter, "As awful as Mary Jones was, did you see any of yourself in her?"

Mo'Nique, "Yes, in that last scene. And, I'll ask you, 'Have you ever had a dark moment when you were unlovable? (pause) I'm asking you the question."

"Yes."

"Didn't you want someone to love you through it?"

"Yes."

"That was that same for me. For as cruel as Mary Jones was, for the monster that she was, everybody, and I don't care who you are and crime you have committed, everybody deserves to be loved, even when they are unlovable."

March 4, 2010

Experts say that one of the cures for insomnia is to drink warm milk. I don't even like cold milk, so I can just imagine the horrors that await me in a glass of warm milk. Something about adults drinking warm milk seems innately wrong. Like warm cheese. It is just...not right. And don't get me started on cottage cheese. I really can't consume a dairy product that has such negative connotations. You will think twice about eating cottage cheese if you have ever overheard women discussing their bodies and referring to their thighs as having a "cottage cheese appearance." But I digress.

I can't sleep. I did some googling and apparently I am doing everything wrong. I drink coffee late in the evening and I take naps. But it is a vicious cycle. I take naps because I am exhausted during the day. I wake up from the nap feeling worse and then I drink coffee to wake-up. Is there a 12-step program for to break the cycle? Non-sleepers Anonymous?

Insomnia makes you watch strange television. I watched a show on the Discovery channel about a woman who had a 150 lb tumor removed. Why? Why do we need to know about this, Discovery channel? Then I watched HSN and I had the inexplicable urge to buy cupcakes and a Cropper Hopper.

So here I remain, in my seat of sleeplessness, until I fall asleep. Or buy a Hugger Mugger. Whichever.

March 3, 2010

March 1, 2010

My Family

What's a girl to do with all of these boys?

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